1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle accessories.
2. Background Information
All terrain vehicles (“ATVs”) are very popular in numerous environments. The “GATOR” by John Deere is an example which can be seen in both utilitarian and recreational use, ranging from grounds keepers on college campuses, to hunters moving in back woods areas. They are useful for sightseeing in rough outback areas, and are useful for moving people and small equipment around farms and ranches. The GATOR ATV is typical of a number of ATVs, having two seats and a pickup truck like bed behind the seats.
A problem has surfaced with respect to these two seats+bed configured ATVs—transporting more than two individuals is impractical at best, but also dangerous, especially when moving about rough terrain. Having people sit or lie in the bed of an ATV, such as the GATOR brand ATV, without actual seating invites injury. There is nothing substantial to which a passenger can hold to stabilize ones self. Also, comfort is simply a non-issue—it cannot be achieved.
Some have proposed (and tried) solutions to this situation. These proposed solutions include welding bench-like seating in the ATV bed, welding or bolting seats to the bed, adding seatbelt-like straps for at least providing hand-holds, and lashing lawn chair(s) in place. None of these options provide a sufficiently seating platform provide a realistic (and safe) additional seating option for this type of ATV. Nothing better than these inadequate attempts has surfaced, despite numerous requests by owners of such ATVs, and even by a number of ATV dealers known to the present inventors for a workable auxiliary seating option.
It would well serve owners and dealers of bed-type ATVs (and, in some cases, even pickup trucks) to provide some means by which one or more seats could be added to the bed area, and which seats would be stable, comfortable, and attractive. Even better would be such an accessory which would be readily added or removed, depending on the need for the auxiliary seating.